Lady Vikings already have confidence

Ask anyone who has been affiliated with the East Carbon girls volleyball team the last couple of years and they would tell you how worried they were about how the team would do this year.

That was because the squad lost six key players off last years state playoff team to graduation. The future looked a little bleak to many people, even to some of the players who would be on the team this year.

But this past weekend proved that life goes on, and it can go on well. At the end of the Milford Tournament, the first games of the season for the Lady Vikings and for many of the other teams that attended, there were the girls from East Carbon battling it out for third place amongst a field of nine teams and not all of them were 1A teams like the kids from Carbon County.

The tournament held some traditional powers amongst it's field of five 1A teams, three 2A teams and one 3A team.

In the process of reaching the playoffs for third place the Lady Vikings beat traditional foe West Desert in two games, and 2A Kanab from Region 13.

The team lost 2-1 to Piute and barely lost in three games to Snow Canyon, a large 3A school from the St. George area.

"The girls did a really good job," said new head coach Alisa Preston. "I think they thought they didn't have much of a chance, but I knew they were pretty good and now they know it too."

The Lady Vikings first defeated West Desert, who traditionally has been one of the best in Region 18. They took down the Lady Hawks 15-7 and 15-4.

Then the team lost a close one to San Juan High in two games. They beat Kanab High in two and then lost to Snow Canyon, taking the Lady Warriors right to the edge.

"Britney Leonard really stood out in this tournament,"said Preston of the senior player. "She didn't play for us last year, but had competed as a sophomore. We were very pleased by her performance."

Preston feels this years main competition in Region 18 will come from Dugway. The Lady Mustangs return some strength from last year and with West Desert not as strong this year the team from Tooele County will probably be the one to beat.

"With the wins and how well they played at this tournament I know the girls have faith in themselves now," concluded Preston.